Steps for Moving from Inquirer to Candidate
After the Inquirer has completed at least one annual consultation and either field education or Clinical Pastoral Education, the Advisory Group may grant permission to begin the process of application to become a Candidate.
1. Complete Form 5A: Application to be Enrolled by Presbytery as a Candidate.
Email to your CPM advisor and copy ministry@chicagopresbytery.org.
The link will take you to the Presbyterian Church (USA) website. You will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete this form. You may save the completed form to your computer.
2. Write the six candidacy statements.
Email to your CPM advisor and copy ministry@chicagopresbytery.org.
Statement #1 – Statement of Understanding of Christian Vocation in the Reformed Tradition and How it Relates to Your Sense of Call Statement #2 – Statement of Personal Faith Which incorporates an Understanding of the Reformed Tradition Statement #3 – Concept Paper Statement #4 – Statement of Being Presbyterian Statement #5 – Statement of Self-Understanding
Statement #6 – Statement of the Tasks of Ministers of the Word and Sacrament
See pages 20 – 22 of the Chicago Presbytery CPM Manual for more details.
NOTE: Please use Arial 11 font and number the lines on all statements. Statement #1 (Statement of Call) will be presented to the Presbytery Assembly when you are presented for a move to candidacy. This statement will be reproduced for the presbytery packet.
3. Order transcripts for any seminary work you have completed since becoming an Inquirer to be sent to the presbytery office, Attn: CPM.
4. Submit evaluations from completed field education, internships or CPE to the presbytery office, Attn: CPM or, if possible, sent electronically to your CPM advisor and a copy to ministry@chicagopresbytery.org.
5. Meet with your Session.
A. Contact your home pastor, the Moderator of the Session. Request time to meet with the Session so that they may enter into a discussion of mutual discernment with you on the six Candidacy Statements. This will require at least 45 minutes on the Session docket.
B. Submit completed Form 5A, Application to Be Enrolled by presbytery as a Candidate and the six candidacy statements, to the Clerk of Session and the Moderator of Session at least two weeks prior to the Session meeting. Request that the Clerk of Session ensure that all members of Session receive the six Candidacy Statements prior to the Session meeting so that the Elders may review your statements and be prepared for mutual discernment.
C. Provide Form B, Covenant Agreement and Candidate Release form to the Clerk of Session. If the Session approves your application for Candidacy, the clerk of session and the moderator of session will submit Form 5B, Covenant Agreement and Candidate Release to the Ministry Coordinator at Chicago Presbytery.
Follow these links to download Form 5B, Session Evaluation and Recommendation Regarding Enrollment as a Candidate; Form 5C, Report of Consultation Regarding Application to become a Candidate and Growth Objectives; and Form 5D, Covenant Agreement and Candidate Release.
(The links will take you to the Presbyterian Church (USA) website.) You will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete this form. You may save the completed form to your computer.
6. Submit signed Form 5B Covenant Agreement and Candidate Release form via email to ministry@chicagopresbytery.org.
When all forms and information have been received in the presbytery office, you will be scheduled to meet with the Commission on Preparation for Ministry for your candidacy review. You will first meet with your Advisory Group and, when they approve, you will meet with the CPM. If approved, the CPM will recommend to the presbytery that you be examined by the presbytery on your statement of call for enrollment as a candidate.